


Can I do anything?

by Cindy_Svensson



Series: Broken. Healed. Stronger. [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-18
Updated: 2013-02-18
Packaged: 2017-11-29 18:13:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/689979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cindy_Svensson/pseuds/Cindy_Svensson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They had never talked to each other. Just exchanged somber looks since 'that' day. Yet she was never far from Tony’s mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can I do anything?

They had never talked to each other. Just exchanged somber looks since _that_ day. Yet she was never far from Tony’s mind.

They had been officially introduced by Fury, who wanted Dr. Foster to meet Tony (who had a few doctorates himself). The doe-eyed woman standing next to Dr. Foster Fury had introduced as Darcy Lewis. Tony had to do a double take, but yes, he did recognize her from somewhere. Then it hit him. She was the woman.

During the attack of New York Tony had seen an old man fall, shoot down dead. Then Tony saved a woman standing nearby from the same alien and then flew away to kill more. He hadn’t thought about her for a few hours. She had just been one of the many scared people littering the streets, a victory for Tony since she was still alive. She was nameless and so was the man Tony added to the count of people he couldn’t save.

Until he saw footage of the fight; of a fire man and nurse prying a grieving woman’s hands away from a dead body. That made something click in the engineer. Another moment of clarity, of forced empathy shoved down his throat, impossible to remain the same after.

He hadn’t thought about staying when the battle was done. He had left the cleanup to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the city.

Tony hadn’t really considered what that clean up consisted off. He had been happy to capture Loki, return him temporarily into S.H.I.E.L.D. custody and eat with the others.

He had figured he had the right to; he was tired, so very tired, and felt he had done enough. He was grieving too. Coulson had left a hole in his life.

But now a voice in his head kept nagging, saying he had had more energy in him. More energy to fly around, lift cars off people, fly with people to hospitals.

Maybe comfort a woman who looked like death, and could shed no tears.

Ms. Lewis dirty but tear free face would forever haunt him. Especially since he saw an echo of that despair every time he walked by her in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s hallways, or visited Dr. Foster’s lab, where her assistant was likely to sit nearby, hammering away on her laptop.

Tony Stark always grew quiet around Darcy Lewis. He was afraid someone would notice. He didn’t want to tell them what he felt, didn’t want their empathy. It was enough that the young woman noticed the concern in his eyes. It was enough that she gave him half a smile that seemed to say, “I’m fine, don’t worry.” And maybe, her eyes also said “Thank you.”

So when he walked into Dr. Foster’s lab to help her with a small experiment and only saw Ms. Lewis there, Tony was uncomfortable. He had never dared talked to her. He knew he would say something bad. 

“Hi. Come in, I don’t bite. Much.”

She gave him a cheeky grin and gestured to the Stark Tab she was working on.

“Jane had to leave, but I am completely qualified to do her part. Just don’t expect me to sound smart.”

Tony forgot the excuse to leave as soon as he thought of it.

Perhaps there was something he could do for Ms. Lewis, even if it was a bit late. He could pretend everything was alright. The mourning period shouldn’t last forever, after all. It had been two months.

“Fine. Everyone else are amateurs compared to me anyway.”

The assistant threw a pencil at him, and then began to go over the experiment.

Tony didn’t pick up a lab coat, because he never did follow the rules. Instead he went directly to work, pretending nothing was amiss and that he wanted to be there. And in the end, he didn’t need to fake it.


End file.
